BELGRADE – Following the first-instance verdicts against former leaders of Kosovo Liberation Army, Western countries called for the respect of the decision and for avoiding inflammatory rhetoric. On 16 September, Hashim Thaçi and Jakup Krasniqi were sentenced to 25 years, Kadri Veseli to 18, and Rexhep Selimi to 13 years in prison for war crimes by the Trial Panel in the Hague.

Reading out verdicts on former KLA leaders, judge Charles Smith remarked that the Panel had concluded that the Prosecution had proven that KLA members intentionally committed acts and omissions that caused the deaths of at least 98 people, constituting the war crime of murder.

The court ruling triggered harsh reactions in Pristina. Part of the protesters scuffled with riot police outside the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) headquarters on the outskirts of the city yesterday. They were carried Albanian and KLA flags while setting off smoke bombs, it was reported by N1. According to Koha Ditore, a small section of the roof on the EULEX building caught fire during the unrest last night. Also, protesters threw stones at the building of the Government of Kosovo.

Protesters are demanding that the government and parliament clarify their official stance and outline an action plan following the verdict handed down to the four former KLA leaders.

They said that protests will continue and that the public will not remain silent in the face of what they call an unjust decision.

By contrast, the United States said that it respects the verdict issued by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and called on all sides to respect the court’s decision, it was reported by RTSH.al.

The State Department stressed the United States supports justice for all victims and their families. It also reaffirmed its support for accountability, due process and the rule of law.

In addition, Washington called on all sides to avoid inflammatory rhetoric following the verdict.

“We call on all sides to respect the court’s decision, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and continue working toward a peaceful and democratic future”, a State Department spokesperson told Radio Free Europe.

In a similar vein, the United Kingdom stated that it “respects the independence of the Court and its judicial process and remains committed to justice, accountability and reconciliation across the region”.

According to Minister for Europe, Lord Wood of Anfield: “The UK remains a close friend and partner of Kosovo, firmly supporting its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as peace across the Western Balkans”.

“We are proud of the role we played alongside NATO Allies in helping prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in 1999 and in supporting Kosovo’s independence in 2008… The judgment by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers is a significant moment but it is not a judgment on Kosovo’s statehood, sovereignty or right to determine its own future. The thoughts of the UK Government are with the victims and their families”, he stressed.

Lord Wood of Anfield remarked that “the Court’s findings concern individuals and should not be used to inflame tensions between communities or across the region”.

“At this important moment, political leaders and public figures have a responsibility to promote calm, ensure any reactions remain peaceful, and put people’s safety first, he noted.

German Ambassador to Kosovo Rainer Rudolph stated that the Kosovo Liberation Army itself “was not on trial, nor was its aim of an independent Kosovo”.

“Germany has supported the work of the Specialist Chambers from the beginning, in the belief that it represents a major contribution to reckoning with war crimes and crimes against humanity, strengthening the rule of law and aligning Kosovo more closely with the European Union”, he underlined.

According to the German Ambassador, “by establishing the Specialist Chambers and cooperating with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Kosovo has demonstrated that it is fulfilling its responsibility, including reckoning with war crimes, as an independent and sovereign state”.

“The judgment in no way absolves Yugoslav actors of responsibility for the armed conflict and the large-scale human rights violations inflicted on the people of Kosovo in the late 1990s, which have already been investigated by international courts and which prompted the intervention of the international community.

“We call on all sides to respect the judgment and the dignity of the victims”, he concluded.

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs stated that it had taken note of the decision by the court, reminding that the parties have the right to appeal.

“The verdict, which can be appealed, marks the completion of first-instance proceedings before Specialist Chambers, except for cases related to obstruction of justice”, the French Ministry said.

France also reaffirmed its support for Specialist Chambers and engagement in the fight against impunity, as well as “its unwavering support for Kosovo’s independence and its institutions”.

On the other hand, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić said that the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague did not establish the existence of systematic attacks against the civilian population because it did not want to undermine the credibility of the Kosovo Liberation Army, N1 reported.

“All of us together were not sufficiently prepared to confront both our own mistakes and the crimes committed in our name”, Vučić remarked .

In his opinion, “there should be no euphoria over the first-instance verdicts” against former KLA leaders, as they can be amended.

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